DUT in shock after second death
THE Durban University of Technology (DUT) has been dealt another tragic blow after the discovery of the body of a staff member at the university’s residence at the weekend.
Yesterday morning, the Berea police were trying to piece together the events around the death of Dr Euvette Cardian Taylor, 30, who worked as a residence adviser at DUT.
The murder, which has shocked the university community, comes in the wake of the slaying of a third-year student, Mlungisi Madonsela, who was fatally shot – allegedly by security guards – during a scuffle with them on Tuesday last week.
Campus security guards discovered Taylor’s body in his on-campus flat at the DUT residence.
While details are still sketchy, police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele confirmed that his body was found with assault wounds.
“A case of murder was opened at the Berea police station for investigation. His VW Amarok bakkie was found abandoned at Pikinini Road, L section, in Umlazi,” she said.
A source said security at the residence were alerted to the murder after a person known to Taylor informed them that they had not heard from him and queried his whereabouts. It was then that security reportedly found Taylor’s body. DUT’s senior director of corporate affairs, Alan Khan, said they were shocked and saddened to hear of Taylor’s death.
“The university extends its sincere condolences to his family, friends, students and colleagues. Details of the incident are not yet clear and police are investigating,” he said.
Taylor’s friend, Menzi Mfeka, said plans were under way to celebrate Taylor’s 30th birthday.
“We were informed of his death via a WhatsApp group message,” Mfeka said.
Taylor was DUT’s first recipient of the Abe Bailey Scholarship in 2013. He went on to be named one of 200 exceptional young South Africans. At the age of 28, he graduated from DUT with his Master’s degree in homeopathic medicine and was a registered and practising homeopath.
He was well known for his community outreach projects and ran a primary health care community clinic at the Mkhizwana Tribal Council in KwaZulu-Natal.
He was recently awarded the Chancellor’s Award for his work at the clinic.
Meanwhile, Madonsela’s family told The Mercury yesterday that they were not aware that Madonsela was a member of the EFF Students’ Command and DUT SRC.
A relative who did not want to be named said Madonsela was a helpful person who loved to be around people.
“He was just a person that loved to help others. He said to me ‘I know what it’s like to struggle as a student, and I understand the students’ struggles because I’ve been in that situation before’. Those were his last words to me,” the relative said.
Madonsela was described as a person who “loved to laugh”.
“He would always make fun of every situation and would connect with anyone. There was never a dull moment whenever he was around, and they took that away from us.”